Entrainment separator



my 9; w46: c. B. scHNEnBLE ENTRAINMENT SEPARATOR .Filed May 20, 1945 1 UNITED rSii-"HI Patented July 9, "1946 Y Application Mayzo, 1943, serial No. 487,687 j v'Ihis invention Vrelat'es'to an entrainment' separator, Yand more` particularly to apparatusfor separating moisture or thelike from air or other gases. An object of the invention is'to provide apparatuswhicli is effective and'elcient for remov-V ing Yentrained matter and/or lliquid particles in a gas or air stream, .and which is compact and simpleA or construction.

More specically, an object is to provide an entrainment separator which employs a fanto impart rotational. velocity to the gases being treated',v andV whichutilizes' eicient baile means for separating the entrained matter thrown out by the fan while causing the gases freed from suchmatter to passy on through the apparatus. Another kobject is t provide a device in which thel portion of the gases whichare thrown out with the entrained matter is recirculated and again'subjected to the separation treatment.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent as the specication proceeds.

The invention will be more fully understood in connection with the following detailed description of one embodiment, having reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of one form of the improved apparatus, the section being taken as indicated at line I-I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken radially of the casing, as indicated at line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View taken radially of the casing, as indicated at line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the device with the fan and top and side plates removed to expose the baille and duct systems.

As illustrated, A designates a casing which encloses a fan B, and C designates baiile means by whichrthe entrained matter thrown out by the fan is passed away separately of the gases.

In the illustrated embodiment, the casing A is set upon cylindrical walls I0 which form the conduit or Vcompartment I I fromwhichthe gas to .be treated is withdrawn.y The casing A is made up of a top platev I2 and a bottom plate I3, both of circular contour. The bottom plate I3 is provided with a centrally-located circular opening 4 through whichrair, for example, passes intothe casing from compartment I I, and is provided also with the apertures linear its periphery through which matter previously /entrained in the airis returned in separated form.V l Y Secured t0 bottomplaieil, are the cylindrical walls I6 which form the sides of the casing.

6 Claims. (Cl. 183-77) Top'plate I2is secured to walls I6 at its edges,

and at its center has an Aopening through which the fan shafty is received. v

The fan B, disposedfcentrally within thecasing, includesany suitable number of blades and, as illustrated, is equipped ywith six blades I8 which extend `radially from the fans axis of rotation and are supported onl the web member VI 9 extending from hub' 20.1The hub 20 is secured to the shaft 'l1 which extends through the rplate I2.

This "fan may be of any desired specic design so long as it is adapted to draw gas, through the central inlet opening of the casing and cause it to rotate and so be thrown radially outward.

Above plate I2, the shaft I1 is received within the ball bearings 2| and 22. The stationary por-` tion of bearing 2| is secured to `plate I2 by means of the member 2|, and the stationary part of bearing 22 is Vsecured to head 23 which is bolted clude anysuitable number of separating sections.

For example, four separating sections designated by the characters 40 may be provided. These sections are substantially identical and each is disposed in'a quadrant ofthe cylindrical casing. Any number of such sections may be employed as may be desired; for example, three sections might be employed,` in which case each section would occupy Each of sections 4I! includes a wall 4| which extends in curved fashion from a point 42 inward of the cylindrical wall I6 toV a point 43 at the wall I6. The curvature 0f walls 4| is preferably that of an epicycloid. The point- 42 is just outside the periphery of the fan B, and extending from this point to the outer Wall of the casing are the radially-disposed cut off plates 44. As is seen moreV clearly7 in Figs. 3 and 4, the walls 4| are preferablyinclined somewhat with the vertical at points where this is possible while still clearing the fan periphery. 4 Y Y p The top and bottommsegments 45 and 46 in each of the sectionsicooperate with wall 4| to formfducts "through which gases pass. Preferably, the bottom segmentsY 46 curve upwardly in the form of an epicycloidal curve corresponding with the curve of walls 4I in a horizontal plane, and segments 45 may be inclined upwardly toward the outlet ports 43, if desired.

With such construction, it will be observed that the gas ducts 41 formed by walls 4I and segments 45 and 46 are open on their inner sides. With gas being rotated and urged outwardly through rotation of the fan, the gas will slip along the walls 4| and pass upwardly through the ducts 41 to the outlet openings 48. The ducts 41 increase in their dimension radially of the casing toward the outlets, but due to thecurvature of bottom segments 46, their vertical dimensions decrease toward the oultets in about the same proportion, so the overall effect is to provide a duct of substantially uniform cross sectional area.

The device may be equipped with a variable cutoff, and the length and depth of the passages may be of suitable dimensions, although the di- L mensions illustrated are to .be preferred. If desired, the walls 52 may also be equipped with vertical slots therein.

The outlets 48 may be left open to the atmosphere or may be connected with conduit 49 through which the gases are carried away.`

Between walls 4I and the outer wall IB'of the casing are the chambers 513 'for withdrawal of the matter which was once entrained in the gases being treated. Openings I provide the means for withdrawing the separated matter from the ducts or chambers 5,0'. Below the curved bottom of ducts 41 and joining with the inner edges of segments 46 are the curved pieces 52 which serve to prevent passage of gases from the fan into these chambers 50.

The `walls 5I which divide the gas ducts 41 and the withdrawal chambers 5U are provided with vertical slots 60 adjacent which are the inturned edges 6I which serve as baffle members to catch entrained matter which may be sliding along these walls and to pass such matter through the slots.

The casing A may be regarded as providing a fan chamber in which the fan is disposed and one or more chambers 5@ for withdrawal lof separated entrained matter, the fan chamber and the chambers 50 being separated by the walls 4| having the perforations 60.

The improved device is well adapted for Vseparating entrained matter of various kinds, particularly liquids or solids from gases of any kind, and is especially suitable for the removal of moisture from air. In the following explanation of its operation, reference will be had to the separation of moisture from air.

When the power is turned on and the fan B is rotated by the drive through pulley 26 and shaft I1, air which is laden with moisture and disposed in chamber II is drawn through the opening I4 in plate I3 to the fan chamber. Inside this chamber, the moisture-laden air is caused by the blades I8 to rotate very rapidly. The entrained moisture, lbeing heavier, is quickly thrown by centrifugal force against the walls 4I, While the air, freed of moisture, passes along these walls through the ducts 41 and out through the outlets 48.

The water collecting on walls 4| is moved by the passing `air to the slots GII where it is caught by baffles BI and passed through the slots into chambers 50 from which it is withdrawn through the holes I5. A certain proportion of the gas or air passes through the slot B0 with the entrained matter. The passage of this air through the-slot 4 serves to facilitate the movement of the entrained matter therethrough. The proportion of air which passes through may be controlled or adjusted by the design of the device. Normally, only a small quantity of air passes through, but as high as 40% may pass through the slot 6D.

Ihe air which passes through the slot 60 passes downwardly through the holes |15 into the compartment II and from this compartment is again passed into the fan chamber. In this manner, any air which passes through the slot 60 is recirculated through the device and again subjected to the separation treatment.

The air vwhich leaves the fan periphery and passes alongwalls 4| moves at substantially the same speed until it'leaves the outlets 48 because of the substantial uniformity of the area of ducts 41. uThis eliminates bottlenecks and makes separation eiective along the whole length of walls 4|. Also, since the ducts 41 lead in an upward direction, the heavier separated entrained matter is held :by the force' of gravity from being passed out along with the gases.

The whole mechanism is simple and compact, being conned in a relatively small space. It can readily be connected with its inlet to any supply of gases containing entrained matter, and will deliver a constant current of gas freed of its entrained matter in large quantity. The entrained matter which is separated from the gas may be directed back to the source of gas supply, as in the embodiment herein specifically' described, or may be arranged to deliver such matter to any desired location.

By entrained matter as the term is used herein, solids and/or liquids which are suspended in a gaseous medium are intended to be included.

The foregoing detailed description of one embodiment and the explanation of operation in connection with the removal of moisture from air, is given for the purpose of explanation only, and no limitations are intended, it being understood that the details of construction may vary widely and the apparatus be emplo-yed in connection with various types of gases containing entrained matter.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for the separation of entrained matter from gases, comprising a casing having an inlet opening, aI horizontal rotary fan within said casing and adapted to impart rotary motion to gases entering said inlet, baffle means within said casing and disposed radially outwardly vof the periphery of said fan and capable of receiving therethrough entrained matter thrown outwardly of said fan, and a wall providing with said casing a passage. of'substantially uniform cross sectional area leading upwardly from the periphery of said fan for conducting from said casing the gases which pass said baffle means.

2. Apparatus for the separation of entrained matter from gases, comprising a rotary fan, a casing enclosing said fan and having inlet and outlet openings, said ,fan being adapted to impart rotary motion to gases passing through said casing, a Wall providing with said casing a passage forming a curved path from the periphery of said fan to a casng'outlet opening and through which gases may pass to said outlet opening, said passage being substantially uniform .in cross sectional area, said passage having an `outer Vwall which is provided-withl apertures through vwhich entrained matter thrown outwardly by `said fan may pass, fand a passage on the opposite side rof said wall from said passage for withdrawing entrained matter from said casing.

3. Apparatus for the separation of entrained matter from gases, comprising a rotary fan, a casing enclosing said fan and having inlet and outlet openings, said fan being adapted to impart rotary motion to gases passing through said casing, a wall providing with said casing a passage forming an outwardly curved path from the periphery of said fan -to a casing outlet opening, said passage having an outer wall provided With apertures through which entrained matter thrown outwardly by said fan may pass, the inner side of said passage communicating with the periphery of said fan and the cross sectional. area of said passage being substantially uniform along its length, said passage being adapted to conduct gases along said wall and tosaid casing outlet opening, andv a passage on the opposite side of said wall from said passage `for withdrawing entrained matter from said casing.

4. Apparatus for the separation of entrained matter from gases, comprising a rotary fan rotatable about a Vertical axis, a casing enclosing said fan and having an inlet opening in the lower portion thereof and an outlet opening in the upper portion thereof, said fan being adapted to impart horizontal rotary motion to gases passing through said casing, a wall providing with saidV from said passage for withdrawing entrained matter from gases, comprising a rotary fan rotatable about a vertical axis, a casing enclosing said ian and having inlet and outlet openings, said fan being adapted to impart horizontal rotary motion to gases/passing through said casing, a wall providing with said casing a passage forming an outwardly and upwardly spirally curved path from the periphery of said fan to said casing outlet opening, said passage having an outer wall disposed radially outwardly of the periphery of the fan and provided with apertures through which entrained matter thrown horizontally outwardlyy by said fan may pass, the inner side of said passage communicating with the periphery of said fan and the cross-sectional area of said passage being substantially uniform along its length, said passage being adapted to conduct gases along said wall and to said casing outlet openings, and a passage on the opposite side of said wall from said rst-mentioned passage for withdrawing entrained matter from said casing.

6. Apparatus for the separation of entrained matter from gases, comprising a casing providing a fan chamber, a rotary fan within said chamber and adapted to impart rotary motion to gases passing through said chamber, a wall of said chamber opposite the periphery of said fan which extends spirally outwardly with respect to the fan periphery and which is provided with aper-` tures for receiving entrained matter therethrough when thrown against said wall by the action of said fan, a second wall connecting said casing and the top of said first-mentioned wall, said first-mentioned wall providing with said casing and second wall a passage forming a curved path from the periphery of said fan to a casing outlet opening, said passageway being substantially uniform in cross section area, said casing also providing a passage for withdrawing entrained matter passing through said apertures, and outlet.

means for passing fromV said fan chamber the gases which pass said Wall.

CLAUDE B. SCHNEIBLE. 

